Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM review

Announced this past June alongside the Canon EOS Rebel T4i DSLR camera, the new Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM is an ultra-slim, entry-level pancake lens that uses Canon’s Stepping Motor Technology (STM) to enable extra-quiet continuous autofocus, making it well-suited for video shooting.

At under an inch in thickness and just 4.6 ounces, the tiny Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 is meant to be an unobtrusive all-purpose lens. Given its ability to deliver extremely quiet and smooth continuous AF at a list price of about $200, it makes a perfect companion to video-oriented, entry-level DSLRs such as the Canon EOS Rebel T4i. With a bright f/2.8 aperture and optics that include an aspherical lens element, we’d expect solid image quality for the price, and we put it through its paces at DxO Labs to confirm this.

Further readings for the Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM review

To provide photographers with a broader perspective about mobiles, lenses and cameras, here are links to articles, reviews, and analyses of photographic equipment produced by DxOMark, renown websites, magazines or blogs.

Our review of the Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM lens. In the latest of our lens reviews brought to you in partnership with DxOMark, we take a look at Canon's slimline 'pancake' prime for its APS-C and full frame SLRs. It's one of the smallest and cheapest lenses currently on the market, and includes a stepper motor for silent focusing during movie recording. But does its small size and low price result in compromised optics? Read our review to find out.